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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22602925">Bajor's Greatest Hero</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cruisedirector/pseuds/cruisedirector'>cruisedirector</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Trek: Deep Space Nine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Bajoran Culture, Bajorans, Episode: s02e01 The Siege (3), F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2005-02-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2005-02-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 15:35:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,274</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22602925</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cruisedirector/pseuds/cruisedirector</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Bareil Antos comes to Bajor to counsel the Emissary and the Navarch.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bareil Antos/Kira Nerys</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Your Cruise Director's Love Boat</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Bajor's Greatest Hero</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is the opening of a Li Nalas-Bareil Antos-Benjamin Sisko story that never went past what's here. I can think of a number of reasons Li Nalas would have wanted to flee Bajor and DS9, but it would have been particularly interesting if he was gay and really afraid of what would happen if that information got out. I love the idea of him confessing this to Sisko and Sisko going "So?", totally not getting why it might be a big deal for a man who's practically worshipped on Bajor, and then Bareil saying "How can you be worrying about sex with what's going on on Bajor?" and then feeling guilty because he's thinking about getting Kira naked when he should be worrying about Winn and the Circle!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>He walked the Promenade of Deep Space Nine, surrounded by the sounds and scents of dozens of cultures. Dabo wheels spun. Voices cheered in four different languages. The smell of fine raktajino wafted through the air, only to be overwhelmed by something odious from the nearby Klingon restaurant. In the distance he could see the station's small Bajoran temple. Li Nalas stood in front, speaking to the crowd, but nobody could hear his words. Suddenly they all cringed as a flash of light charged the air, like the beginning of an Orb encounter. The ceiling opened into space, and Bajor's greatest hero ascended to the Celestial Temple. But the flash had come from a weapon held by Vedek Winn, handed to her by Minister Jaro, and its intended target had been not Li Nalas but the Emissary...</i>
</p><p>Despite his cleansing meditation during the journey, Bareil Antos could not repress a shiver when his ship docked at Deep Space Nine. The last time he had visited, he had almost lost his life to an assassin. Now the station housed both Li Nalas and Kira Nerys, whom the Orb of Prophecy revealed to be chosen by the Prophets to play major roles in the future of Bajor...and in his own life.</p><p>Bareil tried not to think about his vision of Nerys, sprawled on a bed in a translucent robe the color of flame. Orb encounters rarely offered factual glimpses of the future, but had to be interpreted like dreams; an erotic vision might foretell political union or agricultural fecundity rather than an intimate bond. Besides, Kira was not the only reason for Bareil's visit to the station, though he would never tell her so. Commander Sisko had compelled the vedek's confidence when he sent a coded invitation, possibly taking such precautions solely to protect both men from the Circle, but Bareil suspected the summons related to the recent arrival of Bajor's greatest hero.</p><p>Once more Bareil felt his flesh prickle at the thought of Li Nalas. The austere members of the Vedek Assembly responded to the news of Li's homecoming with uncharacteristic delight, and a spontaneous celebration erupted in the streets of the capitol until some of the youths began to launch pyrotechnics, panicking a crowd newly fearful of terrorist attacks. Bareil reminded himself to alert Sisko and Kira to the shocking number of weapons in the hands of Bajoran children. Not since the Occupation had he seen so many armed civilians. Without an external threat like the Cardassians, those weapons might be used against allies like Starfleet -- or worse, against other Bajorans.</p><p>Even before he stepped through the airlock, Bareil could feel the energy of Deep Space Nine. A current of connection bound together the hundreds of children of the Prophets on the station, and the commander had an aura all his own. Sisko had been pleasantly surprised that Bareil did not grab his ear the last time they met, yet the vedek did not need to touch the Emissary to feel the power of his pah. Sisko might not be ready to accept the role predicted for him in the ancient scrolls, and Bareil did not interpret those prophecies literally as did many of his colleagues, yet he could not doubt that Deep Space Nine's commander would become a man of destiny.</p><p>In the moment, however, standing in the shadows of a side corridor, Sisko's brows drew together and his shoulders bore the tension of a tiresome burden. Bareil caught the man's eye as he disembarked, not wishing to draw attention to their connection by raising his voice in greeting. Apparently he read the cues correctly, for Sisko gestured silently with his head for the vedek to follow. The commander did not speak until they had passed the crowd at the airlock and turned down a quiet hallway.</p><p>"Thank you for coming to the station." Sisko spoke in a low voice made ominous by the timbre of his inflections. "I know that travel isn't very safe right now, especially for visitors of non-Bajorans."</p><p>"We cannot allow the fears of a few reactionaries to destroy a universe of possibilities." Bareil responded in his professional guise, then realized his words would be more appropriate for a speech than their conversation. He owed Sisko his life, and the Emissary's favor had strengthened his position in the Vedek Assembly. Moreover, he knew Sisko agreed with him. "I'm happy to see you again," he added sincerely. "But your message sounded urgent."</p><p>"I suppose you've heard that the Chamber of Ministers has recalled Major Kira and assigned Li Nalas as my Bajoran liaison officer." Sisko's scowl deepened. Bareil did not know whether to frown or smile at the recognition that the Emissary did not believe Li Nalas could do anything better than anyone else. But Sisko was not Bajoran.</p><p>"The Council has made him a Navarch, which I understand to be unprecedented," the commander continued. "Li will report directly to the Prophets. I was hoping..." Finally Sisko turned to face Bareil, with an uncertain smile on his face. "I was hoping you could advise us both on how to handle a working relationship with the Prophets, since you're the only person I trust with experience in such matters."</p><p>As he had every day since her loss, Bareil wished Opaka were there. She had been the first person to advise the Emissary, and her interpretation of prophecy, though less rigid than Vedek Winn's, had always been more solid and assertive than his own. Bareil did not lack confidence in his own readings, but like Orb encounters, they were fluid, multi-layered, and it seemed sometimes that the reader had the power to alter the words.</p><p>Sisko waited for an answer, so the vedek smiled reassuringly. "I will do what I can to work with you and Navarch Li. I am looking forward to meeting him. Does he know that I'm here?"</p><p>The momentary lightness vanished from Sisko's eyes. "No, he doesn't. Frankly, I'm not even sure that he's a religious man. He hasn't entered the temple on the Promenade since he's been back. But I think he might appreciate having someone Bajoran to talk to about his situation."</p><p>Sisko turned a corner with him and they were on the Promenade, surrounded by bright colors and music. Bareil caught glimpses of jugglers practicing, smelled hasperat and spilled ale from the direction of Quark's. Suddenly his recent Orb vision returned with sickening clarity. <i>He walked the Promenade of Deep Space Nine, surrounded by the sounds and scents of dozens of cultures...suddenly they all cringed as a flash of light charged the air, like the beginning of an Orb encounter. The ceiling opened into space, and Bajor's greatest hero ascended to the Celestial Temple. But the flash had come from a weapon held by Vedek Winn, handed to her by Minister Jaro, and its intended target had been not Li Nalas but the Emissary...</i></p><p>***</p><p>"My esteemed colleague Minister Jaro is up to something," Li whispered.</p><p>"My esteemed colleague Vedek Winn is up to something too," Bareil admitted without humor. Whatever she might have believed, Bareil did respect Winn, who showed great proficiency in interpreting arcane texts and whose work during the Resistance had saved many lives. Though he feared her ambition, Bareil had seen Winn in a vision with her hand held out in peace to Dukat. The vision had then become shockingly erotic, but Bareil was certain that that was metaphorical; surely Winn would never consider a sexual relationship with a Cardassian, particularly that Cardassian. It gave him hope for a peaceful meeting of the leaders of both planets -- Bajor and Cardassia.</p><p>***</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>If anyone else wants to pick up the gauntlet, please feel free -- there's far too little Li Nalas fic anywhere. (And if you want to write Li/Bareil, or Li/Kira/Bareil, or either plus Sisko, or if you want to write either Li/Winn or Bareil/Winn or really Winn in any combination, I will love you forever.)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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